Box opener



c. A. KARHLI BOX OPENER Aug. 26 1924.

FiledA April 22 1924 ff -I m1 n ...w 11| im 0///f Afm/mz. y

Patented Aug. 26, i924.

UNITED AGF F EGE..

BOX OPENER.

To all io/zom t may concern.'

Be itlmown that L @imm fLlA-RHU, a citizen of the -United States,y residing at Greybull', in the coun-ty of Big Horn' 'and State of Vt/vyoming, have invented certain new and `useful improvements inf' a Box Gpener, of which thev following is a specification'.

My invention relates broadlytohaind tools and more laarticularly to a box` opener.

An object of 'my' invention is to lprovide a box opening toolwv'hiiclr i's effective both upon heavy cardboard boxes `and wood-'en receptacles-to enable the boxes to be readily and rapidly opened.

.*rnotherobjcct ofnry'invention is to provide* a combination hand tool having means for withdrawing nails from woodien boxes and havin .0f al cutter for severing wire nails where' such becomesA necessary, cooperating with they parts ofthe tool for' providing the dcsired amount ofleverage inv ripping open the box.

Another objectof my invention is to provide a tool for'opening boxes which maybe gripped in one hand and parts moved together to grip portions of the box 'tof be opened and then the entire toollmovedin the manner of a lever for rippingfopenthe box.

Still another object of in v invention isato provide al hand tool c'onfsistingoliaifpair of substantially similar portions one of which is slidably mounted within the other for enn gag'ing both the upper and lower surfaces of the portions of the box to be opened to provide an etlective grip upon the box.

My invention will be more. fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a partial perspective view of a wooden box showing my box opener in position at one corner of the box in the process of removing a portion of the cover from the box: Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my box opener having a portion shown in longitudinal cross section to more clearly illustrate the cooperation of the parts; Fig. 3 is an end view showing my box opener in position for breaking open a corrugated cardboard box; and Fig. 4t is a plan View showing the arrangement of the several parts of the box opener.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference character l represents a wooden box on which my tool is intended to operate. The tool `comprisesl a pair of substantially rectangular strip members closed vft'handle 8 is positioned between the extremitieso-f the iside portions 3 a-ndy L and secured thereto asindicated at 10 and 9'respecti'vely. yThe second portion of vthe box opener is-of substantial-ly the same contour as the first portion consisting of dat plate member 5y and? upwardly extending vertical side members 6L and? 7 joined at their ex tremities by a han'dle'lniember2O riveted as indicated at 2l and-'22. The side members (i and' 7 are slotted' as represented at 18 and 19 to enable the' ti'atl portion 5to movetoward or' away from the flat portion 2. Hook members lland "12' afre provided' adjacent the extremities of side members 3y and ipermitting coil springsv 16 and' l? to be interposedrbetween pin memb'ersrlli and l5 on the second portion of the box opening tool carriedlby side members 6 andI T' adjacent lthe lower surface 5. vrEllie-side members 3 and aire' slotted as represented atl26 insuch manner that pins' lt and l5 are -f-ree to ride vertically in the slot-s. The fla-t plfate member 2 extends substan'ti Iy" beyond' fthe Hat plate mem-ber 5 and eaclr is provided with grippingtceth direct-cd toward Aeach other to enable the members 2 and 5 to substantially grip both the top and bottom surface of the portion of the box to be opened. The llat portion 2 of the box opening tool is provided with nail removing means 23 and thc side members 3 and 6 cooperate to form a nail cutting device as represented by opening 27. That is to say there are two openings 27 one in side member 3 and another in side member 6 which when registered with each other permit the wire nail which is to be out to be inserted therein and when one portion of the tool is moved with relation to the other portion the cutting surfaces of apertures 2T move. in such manner as to cut wire or nails which may be inserted between the cutting surfaces.

In the operation of my box opening tool, the flat surface 2, which is provided with a bladed edge 287 is driven under the vsurface of one portion of the box using the edge 29 as a driving face. The handles 8 and 2O are firmly grasped and drawn together operating to -move the flat plate members 2 and 5 together and gripping a portion of the box. ln Figure l this action is represented as applied to a wooden box while in Figure 2 the action has been shown in connection with a paper box. The tool may then be drawn in an angular direction operating as a lever to rip open the box. By loosening the handle members, springs 16 and 17 immediately increase the space between the flat plates 2 andl 5 and enable the box opener to be moved to another position along the box and the box cover again operated upon.

While l have described the invention in a certain particular embodiment I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that I intend no limitations upon the invention other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

`What l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. A box opening tool, comprising in combination a pair of substantially similar rectangular members each having a hand grip at one side and one adapted to slide within the other, each of said members having a flat plate on one side thereof, said plates being adapted to fit on the top and bottom of a portion of a box cover to be removed, said flat plates being normally spaced apart under spring tension and adapted to grip said box cover when said hand grips are moved together.

2. A box opening tool, comprising in combination a pair of substantially rectangular strip like members each having a hand grip at one side thereof and one of said members being adapted to slid-e within the other of said members, each of lsaid members carrying a flat plate member at an end op posite the hand grip and resilient means for normally holding said plate members spaced apart whereby said plate members may be moved together when said hand grips are drawn together.

3. A box opening tool, comprising in combination a pair of members slidable one within the other, each of said members comprising a flat plate and a pair of upstanding side members, a hand grip connected between the upper extremities of each of said side members, one pair of said side members,

being provided with slots adjacent the lower ends thereof and the other pair of side members being provided with slots adjacent the upper extremities thereof, pins connected to one pair of said side members and spring means interposed between said pins and the upper extremities of the other pair of Aside members whereby said flat plate members may be moved together against the action of said spring means by drawing said hand grips together.

4. A box opening tool, comprising in combination a pair of substantially rectangular strip-like members each having a hand grip at one side thereof and one of said members being adapted to slide within the other of said members, each of said members carrying a flat plate member at an end opposite each hand grip, one of said flat plate members extending on either side of the other of said flat plate members and having a bladed edge and a hammer edge opposite thereto, and resilient means for normally holding said plate members spaced apart whereby said plate members may be moved together when said hand grips are drawn together and said extended flat plate member driven under a box cover in the process of opening the box.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

OLLIE A. KARHU. 

